Ferdinand, Crouch, Foster: How footballers have built media empires for the future July 3, 2026 Footballers need to retire eventually. Calum Hopkins takes a look at how they can do it in a changing media landscape. With the World Cup knockouts well underway, it is time to consider whether the people sitting in the studio continue to have the power. We are seeing a massive shift in football; the audience [...]
Fifa accused of bullying in attempt to kill off multi-billion class action claim July 3, 2026 Fifa has been accused of using bullying tactics in a bid to kill off a class action lawsuit claiming billions in lost earnings from football’s governing body on behalf of current and former players. Justice For Players is pursuing a mega claim deriving from the European Court of Justice’s landmark Diarra Ruling, which declared Fifa’s [...]
Why brands can fail miserably at sponsoring Wimbledon July 3, 2026 With the Grand Slam in full swing, Sam Milne discusses why brands still manage to fail at Wimbledon Pimm’s, strawberries and cream, pristine grass courts, and royalty and sporting legends intermingling evoke only one place: Wimbledon. It’s one of the few global sporting events that feels timeless, and minus the players themselves, an image from [...]
Reality is rugby’s Nations Championship is botched July 3, 2026 With the inaugural Nations Championship around the corner, Ollie Phillips looks at why the sport’s bosses missed a trick. The Nations Championship kicks off this weekend, but when you look at what is the star match of round one based on the players involved – South Africa’s home fixture against England on Saturday – it [...]
Cruyff turn: Starmer allows pubs to stay open for England World Cup game July 2, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer has performed a Cruyff turn as he announced that pubs would be able to stay open until 5am for England’s game against Mexico on late Sunday night. Before the change in policy, pubs were set to be forced to kick punters out at half time in the early hours of Monday morning. [...]
Sumo’s London return shows the capital really is a global sport leader July 2, 2026 An astonishing thing is happening in Greenwich’s historic Borough Hall. The somewhat garish landmark of SE10, until next Wednesday, is at the epicentre of London’s love affair with Sumo. Having returned to the capital in 2025 for the first time since the early 1990s, City AM revealed last month that the highest level of the [...]
Pull an all-nighter for the 1AM England World Cup game at these London pubs July 2, 2026 After a nail-biting game last night Londoners are preparing to watch this weekend’s England World Cup fixture, although the kick off is at the rather unconventional time of 1AM on Monday morning. If you’re staying up on Sunday night into Monday morning to watch the game, there are plenty of options for places to book. [...]
Formula 1 worth £12bn to UK economy as Silverstone rakes in £100m July 2, 2026 Formula 1 boosts the UK economy by £12bn every year, according to new figures revealed ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone. The wider impact in the UK of the elite motor racing series – 10 of whose 11 teams are headquartered in the country or have operational bases on these shores – [...]
Ben Stokes bombshell shows how power has swung to sport’s players and coaches July 2, 2026 Social media has allowed the likes of Ben Stokes to control their own narrative but we are no nearer to knowing the truth, says Ed Warner. Truth is a pliable concept, capable of being moulded to suit the interests of the individual, and a battleground for competing narratives. Perspective is not all; volume and reach [...]
Inside Arabian Falcons: The Dubai football side managed by Jonjo Shelvey July 2, 2026 Arabian Falcons have just re-signed Jonjo Shelvey as their manager, with the Dubai football team boasting off-pitch figures such as Jason Puncheon. Matt Hardy investigates Hear someone discussing Arabian Falcons and it would be easy to assume they were talking about either the Peregrine or the Saker – two heritage symbols of the Middle East [...]